Day 29 Slate - Chicken

11"x14" acrylic on slate

Who can resist a chicken with attitude?

Day 16 Slate - Tufted Titmouse

11"x14" acrylic on slate

Another frequent flier that has layovers at my bird feeder.

Day 8 slate - Grandkids Are A Gift

11"x14" acrylic on slate

I painted this in honor of 3 of my grandkids.  They live across the country from me and since I haven't been able to travel, I am really missing them.  Each of them has an animal image they use to label things in their home.  The oldest is a blue bird, the middle one is a hedgehog and the baby is a Lady Bug.  The gift is my symbol for how I feel about them.  Cute and sweet I think.

Day 7 slate - Easter Bunny

11"x14" acrylic on Vermont Slate

My friend Heather Shay and I painted slate the day before she took off for Costa Rica and then on to Guatemala.  I won't see her again until June because she lives an adventuresome life of the explorer. We had a great time.  I was feeling whimsical so I did the Easter Bunny skiing and she did Santa on skiis.  I am having fun...can you tell?

Day 4 Slate - X-Country Skiing

11x14"  Acrylic on slate

This is inspired by a photo posted by Penny Kipley from a Cross Country Ski day, I believe in Colorado.  I painted it on slate, as I am doing this entire month for the 30 in 30 challenge sponsored by Leslie Saeta.  I loved the original photo which told a story and had all the lovely elements of value contrast between the snow and trees, and the zooming distance implied by the trail.  I, of course, used it as inspiration and then did what I thought was necessary to make it a fun painting.  Photography and painting are two different art forms and need to be respected as such.  Thank you Penny!

Day 3 Slate Piece - Cedar Waxwing

acrylic on Vermont slate   11"x14"

Fun things about painting on slate include the background texture and colors.  I like how the paint grips the surface, which is so different from painting with oils on a slick panel.  I don't even consider painting the background, rather, it is about painting objects on the surface.  This Cedar Waxwing, displaying it's full colors in all their glory, was a great subject.

The Visitor

6"x6" oil 

In the summer I frequently have visitors that are not of the human species because mu studio has garage doors I open.  Hummingbirds have made numerous visits and chipmunks seems to love my work as well!

Monarch #11

11"x14" watermedia NFS

Monarch #10

4"x8" watercolor NFS

This is my favorite of this series, so far. I am 1/3 of the way through my goal of 30 watercolor paintings of monarchs in Sept. I have learned from experience that this is a very arbitrary goal, and it can actually be counter productive. The idea is to be a little better each day and to do that requires working hard to do your best. Therefore, setting a number of paintings as a goal only serves to get an artist to the studio to work. That is worthwhile, of course, but it isn't worth sacrificing quality for quantity. But I really like this one!

This is Monarch #9 out of 30 I plan to do. If you have a great Monarch photo you would like to see in paint, please send it to me. I do not have 30 of my own! These paintings are for a project I am working on and are NFS, but I hope you are enjoying my little foray into watercolor.

This second image is Monarch #7 revised.  After studying it for a couple of days I decided to add some fun and darker value to the background.  Although this doesn't really "read" as sky, like it previously did, I think it is much more interesting and artistic, which is after all what I am attempting to do.  I heard a good quote today from some TV production about being an artist is about facing a new mystery every day and having the opportunity to learn a new lesson.  It is a long job description, but that is how I feel about what I do.

Monarch #8

8"x11" watercolor NFS

Monarch#8 This one was really fun to paint. I loved going dramatic with the purple and it worked so well with the pink buds/flowers and the green leaves. I liked the composition as well.

Monarch#7

8"x11" watercolor NFS

This monarch is freshly emerging from its chrysalis.  I am not sure what I would do differently if I repainted this one, so I might ask my art group what they think.  It clearly tells the story, but it is a tad bit boring I think.  I may go back in and darken the sky behind it and see if that makes a difference.  Watercolor is so different than oil and I am hungry to learn its secrets!

Monarch#6

I may have to have something in fabric printed up with this design.  I am still figuring out how watercolor works, what I can do with it, and when it is appropriate to use techniques like sponges or sprayers to get affects.  Peter Huntoon is a watercolor artist that uses all kinds of splishes and splashes in his work to great affect without it looking trite at all.  I am not there yet.

Monarch#5

8"x11" watercolor NFS

I like looking at paintings with lots of patterns, but unlike my friend Heather Shay, I do not like painting them.  I think the repetition gets to me and I am a little impatient.  That being said, I got myself in deep with this one.  I wanted it to have an abstract feel, but have some realistic elements as well, and I think I am pretty happy with the results.

Monarch#4 Cocoon

I really played around with this one and thought since the cocoon was such a simple subject, I would abstract the background.  I dripped and sprayed and layered and flicked and taped and rubbed and just had a good old time.  Not sure it is a great painting, but it sure was fun to do!

Monarch#3

8"x11" watercolor

I like putting on layers with watercolor but don't always know what to expect.  I am trying out different approaches so that I can learn some things.  The colors of the painting are so much more vibrant in real life.  I am not sure how to rectify this.

Monarch#2

8"x11 watercolor NFS

This one came a little easier.  It is painted from an image by photographer Steven Niewoehner.  The problem with painting from such an amazing photograph is that it is already a piece of artwork so you have to approach it with different intentions.  I had a hard time photographing this because the colors just don't pop the way they do in person, especially the thistle.  I have figured out a few things about watercolor like: 1) the brushes make all the difference  2) the paper makes all the difference too (this is on 400lb. cold pressed Arches) 3) figuring out the quantity of a mixed color and the ratio of water to paint are both important 4) if you don't have a process you are up the creek without a paddle

Wesley

6"x6" oil SOLD

This is the last of a series of commissions I did.  I learned a lot by doing several in a row, but I am ready to move on to other things.  I have a number of projects pending, it is just a matter of choosing which one to do first.  It is good to be busy and focused...right? I think I need to set up a big board to list my projects....white board?  bulletin board?  or chalk board?  m-m-m-m

There is a glare on this.  I usually photograph my work with my studio doors open but it is too cold right now for that, so I need to create a different set-up for getting good photos. 

Sally

6"x6" oil SOLD

Tristen

6"x6" oil  SOLD

He's a cutie!